Golf-ball.



Patented Apr. 15, I902.

m. Mme.

E. KEMPSHALL.

GOLF BALL.

(Application filed Jan, 8, 1,902.;

(No Model.)

W'itmss sea:

lnuentar:

Eledzerffammimll,

nii'rnio TATES A'IENT OFFICE.

ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE KEMPSI-IALLMANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEIV JERSEY.

GOLF-BALL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 697,918, dated April15, 1902.

Application filed January 8,1902. Serial No. 88,824. (No model.)

To whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, a citizen of the United States,residing in Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf-Balls, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to playing-balls; and its chief object is toimprove the construction of the shell, which is made in segments weldedtogether under compression upon a yielding filling or core. I provide animproved joint between the shell-sections, whereby the elastic core iseffectually confined at the welding or joining operation, the area ofthe weldingsurfaces or joint is increased, and the shell and core arealso anchored together.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure l is acompleted ball partly broken away, so as to disclose the construction.Fig. 2 illustrates a stage in the manufacture of the ball, and Figs. 3and 4 are perspective views of the upper and lower hemispheres of ashell-blank.

Similar parts in the several figures are designated by similarcharacters of reference.

I preferably employ hemispherical blanks or half-blanks and 21 to form ashell or cover for a filling or core 22. The material of the shell isgenerally hard and stiff and such that it may be rendered plastic, asby.

means of heat, and subsequently rehardened. The filling is relativelysoft or yielding and elastic and preferably of material which is notinjured by heat which is sufficient to render the shell plastic. Thecenter piece 22 may be first formed of the required size and shape andis oversize or too bulky for the capacity of the finished shell.

Upon the inner border of the edge of the lower hemispherical blank 21 Iform a brim 21 over which the upper blank 20 may fit snugly, the core 22having first been inserted within the blank 21, as at Fig. 2. The partsthus assembled I place between telescopic heating and molding dies 23and 24, which are forced together upon the ball, thereby compressing thefilling, compacting the material of the shell, which is rendered plasticby the heat, and also forming a strong weld of the upper to the lowerhalf-blanks. The tendency of the elastic core to squeeze out at theclosing action of the dies is frustrated by the overlapping brim 21,which for this purpose is made to extend a considerable distance withinthe upper shell 20. Should any of the material of the plastic shellsqueeze out between the approaching lips 25 and 26 of the dies, it isforced or squeezed back again toward the interior of the ball at thefinal closing action of the dies, and such kneading of the materialimproves the efficiency of the weld. The contacting portions of the brim21 and the half-she1l20 also offer extra welding surfaces or material,or, in other words, the area of the welded surface is increased. Thematerial of the brim 21 after the ball is finished forms upon the insideof the shell a welt or head, as at 21", Fig. 1, which belts the fillingand anchors the same to the shell, thus reducing the liability ofdisruption of the latter from the filling under the impact of animplement. If desired to make this internal bead extra thick, materialmay be added at the edges of the segments 20 and 21, which after beingrendered plastic will be squeezed inwardly by the closing of the dies.

By the described operation the filling is placed under permanentcompression by the shell, and the latter is tempered or solidified andstrengthened, so that a ball of exceptionally effective aud durablequality is produced.

It will be seen that my invention is also of value in cases where thesegments are intended to be held together by cement Without welding, inwhich event the edges of the segments 20 and 21 will be made to matchinstead of being oppositely chamfered, as illus trated in the drawings.The upwardly-pro jecting brim 2i furnishes extra adhering surface.

In case heating-dies are used the ball is allowed to cool and hardenbefore being relieved of pressure, so that it may effectually retain thefilling under compression.

In my pending application,Serial No. 79,773, filed October 24, 1901, Iillustrate overlapping shell-segrnents, the present application beingintended to cover the formation of an inwardly-swelling brim, whichconstricts the core and also forms a lap-joint.

I usually make the exterior surface of golfballs pebbled or brambled, asat C, Fig. 1, and I prefer to make the shell wholly or largely ofcelluloid, which is compacted and tempered atthe heating and compressingoperation and rendered highly desirable for use in the game of golf,while the interior is preferably'made wholly or largely of gutta-percha.By this means I produce a twofold springiness in the-ball, enabling theelastic filling to cooperate with the springy shell, the efficiency ofthe filling being greatly augmented by having it under compression,since the expansive pressure thereof tends constantly to cause the shellto assume a spherical shape, so that the flying or carrying power of thehall is largely increased. In using the term celluloid I mean to includeany suitable grade or compound of celluloid or pyroxylin material or itsequivalent. The form and number of the segmental blanks may be variedwithin the scope of the invention.

While I prefer to use celluloid for the shell, still I consider withinthe scope of my invention a shell made of other materialsuch, forinstance, as gutta percha, provided it is formed in the manner hereinset forth-and, if desired, soft rubber may be employed largely or whollyin the core, this material forming an excellent backing for aguttapercha shell when held under compression thereby.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A playing-ball comprising ashell built up from lap-jointed sections, and afilling held undercompression by said shell, the material of the lap at the joint betweensaid sections forming a head or welt around the interior of the shell.

2. A playing-ball comprising a shell built up of lap-jointed sections ofstiff, springy material, and a filling of elastic material held undercompression by said shell, said sections being welded together, and thematerial of the lap forming a head or welt which creases the filling.

3. A playing-ball comprising hemispherical lap-jointed segments ofcelluloid welded and compacted, and a filling of elastic material heldunder compression by said shell, the material of the lap forming aninterior welt or head upon said shell.

4. Aplaying-ballcomprisingacellnloidshell made in lap-jointed segmentswelded together, and a filling consisting wholly or largely ofgutta-percha held under compression by said shell; the material of thelap at said joint or weld forming a welt or head upon the interior ofthe shell.

ELEAZER KEMPSHALL. lrVitnesses:

B. G. STIOKNEY, JOHN O. SEIFERT.

